title: [Prevalence of acute manifestations of pathologic gastroesophageal reflux].
abstract: We characterized the acute manifestations of gastroesophageal reflux in 46 patients attending an emergency ward. 43 were females and the mean age was 41 +/- 14. The diagnosis of G-E reflux was confirmed in all by the acid reflux test; esophagitis was present in 55% of patients submitted to endoscopy; the Bernstein test was positive in 43%. The population represents 3% of all emergency consults and 8% of gastroenterological consults. Severe epigastric pain, usually burning or constrictive and radiating to the dorsum, left hypochondrium and sternal region was the presenting form in 55% of patients. Pain was refractory to antispasmodic agents but was relieved by antacids. Dyspnea or bronchial obstruction was the main symptom in 16% of cases, heartburn in 13%, hematemesis in 6%. Among these patients a prolonged history of chronic G-E reflux was common. Surgical correction was undertaken in 6%, with some symptoms persisting in 17%.
authors.affiliation: Unidad de Emergencia, Hospital del Salvador, Santiago, Chile.
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Acevedo
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Burmeister
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Donoso-Scroppo
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Toledo
authors.forename: O
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Pérez
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D004630:Emergencies; D016145:Endoscopy, Digestive System; D005260:Female; D005764:Gastroesophageal Reflux / Q000150:complications* / Q000453:epidemiology; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008365:Manometry; D008875:Middle Aged; D015995:Prevalence
vernacular_title: Prevalencia de las manifestaciones agudas del reflujo gastroesofágico patológico.